How to build a display base for your Valk.

[Kurt]

Hello! I have posted a few pictures in the past of some models that I have built and sold. I was asked by a member of this forum if I could do a how-to to making an attractive display for built models. There are of course an infinite number of possiblities to making a base or diorama, this is just one that I tend to do alot because it is easy and looks great. The image is of a valk that I have just completed and is currently on Ebay. If everyone is interested, I will go through the steps on how I created the base for this. I don't want to take up everyone's time in there is no interest, so let know. Thanks.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...gory=16514&rd=1

[Commander McBride]

I'd certainly like to find out how you did that base. It looks great!

[wm cheng]

Hey I would also like to see how you did it - especially if you have done any in-flight stands - I'd like to see those.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

I'm curious as well.

[Kurt]

Ok, there are a few of you interested in this subject. I will try to go into detail, but not make it boring. I am sure I will leave out something, so please don't hesitate to ask questions.

This particular base is 9"x12". I purchase these at a local Michaels craft store. They come in a variety of different sizes and shapes. Just be sure to pick through them and find the ones that are the most level.

[Kurt]

The tarmac is made by Verlinden Productions, airfield tarmac #1632. They come in 1/72 and 1/48 scale. Position the tarmac on the base to your taste. It is better to not place it at a right angle to the base. Turn it on an angle, it will be more interesting to the viewer. Trim tarmac to fit along edges of base.

[Kurt]

Position it.

[Kurt]

Use your favorite wood stain and stain the base. Let this dry completely. While you are waiting for the base to dry, spray the tarmac piece with a matte finish. I use Citadel Color Matte Varnish for this step. However Testers Dullcote will work or Polyscale if you want to airbrush it. Let dry fully before next step.

[Kurt]

Once both the base and tarmac is dry it is time to secure the two together. Use a spray adhesive such as Elmer's Extra Strength. DO NOT USE WHITE GLUE! The tarmac is printed cardboard material and will soak up the moisture from the white glue and cause bubbles on the finished side. Use spray and cover the whole backside and place carefully into position. Use your finger or a small roller to work out any bubbles. Let dry for at least 1-2 hours before next step.

[Grayson72]

The tarmac is made by Verlinden Productions, airfield tarmac #1632. They come in 1/72 and 1/48 scale. Position the tarmac on the base to your taste. It is better to not place it at a right angle to the base. Turn it on an angle, it will be more interesting to the viewer. Trim tarmac to fit along edges of base.

Hey this is a great thread, can't wait till you get to the vegitation part.

Hey where do you get your Verlinden stuff, they're kinda hard to find?

[Kurt]

After the tarmac is fully secured and dry, the fun part begins! Use a low-tack masking tape, such as Tamiya, and mask off the area where you want to add scenery.

[Kurt]

I use a product made by Hudson and Allen Studio for the "dirt" layer. They sell a few different shades of this dirt, choose one to your liking.

[Kurt]

Add small amount, about a table spoon for an area this size to a small mixing container. Slowly add water and stir until you get a good workable paste. There is no formula for this mix, you will get a feel for what works. You want something that will spread nice and even without clumping and without being to watery.

[Kurt]

You have plenty of time, go slow and make sure you cover everything. You don't want it to be perfectly level, so add a bit of elevation here and there. After you are satisfied with the coverage, wet your brush in some water and slowly smooth out the surface, The amount of smoothing really depends on the scale you are modeling, The smaller the scale, the smoother the surface. Give it more of a texture with your brush if you are doing a larger scale.

[Kurt]

After the dirt is dry you have noticed that the color has lightened and looks to uniform for soil. You now want to add some color variation by applying some washes. This really depends on personal taste and region you are trying to depict. I add a light wash of raw umber and payne's gray oil paint. You could also use burnt sienna for a more red looking soil. Let this dry and reapply if you want more contrast.

[Kurt]

Now it's time for some vegitation! I use a wide variety of materials for this step. First choose what season and region you are doing. Summer? Winter? Desert? It makes a difference in what you use. Start with some static grass. I like to use brown or light green for summer. Later I will drybrush on green to give it a summer growth look. Randomly spread some white glue over the soil where you want the grass. Remember to be random, unless you want to clearly show a road or foot path. Don't cover all of the dirt. Allow some to show through. Once you have the glue down, cover it with the static grass. Don't be shy about how much you put down, pile it on and give it a bit of a push into the glue.

[Kurt]

Now the most important step when using static grass - lightly blow across the grass to remove any that is not stuck in the glue. You will notice a lot of it tend to stand up, this is exactly what you want. If you are careful you can recycle the material that you are blowing off. Let this dry completely.

[Kurt]

Now it's time to drybrush both the soil and the grass. Use a light tan of buff on the soil and green shades on the grass. Unless you want dead grass, you can leave it as is. Green up the grass to your liking. For a very last drybrush step on the grass you can use a very light application of white of yellow. You can also use pastel chalk on the soil. I did that to this base. Use a light brown chalk. At this point you can give the area a spray with a matte finish. The white glue always tends to be a bit glossy and if you used chalk you want to secure it. I airbrushed on some Polyscale flat finish.

[Kurt]

At this point you could stop if you want the nicely manicured lawn look. However it is much more interesting to add some long grass and weeds. And for this, as I mentioned earlier, I use a wide variety of materials. These materials are available at hobby shops, craft stores and from mother nature herself. For longer grass you can use the long grass that Woodland Scenics sells. Just cut to length and secure with white glue. For a much finer, realistic look I use real squirrel fur. The real deal. This can be bought in any sporting goods store that caters to fly fishing and comes in variety of colors. As packaged it is actually a piece of dryed skin with the fur still attached. Cut to desired length and then use pliers or tweezers to pull a clump from the skin and secure with white glue. Deer and oppossum fur is also useful.

[Kurt]

I also use a product from Hudson and Allen Studio called Pine Boughs. These are intended to represent pine branches in larger scales, but if you pull off the tips, they make excellent weeds. Browse your local hobby shop or craft store for many products that are great for grass, weeds or small trees. Just remember to be random and use a variety of material.

[Kurt]

More weeds.

[Kurt]

As a last step I like to add some weeds between the cracks in the tarmac. Use a sharp hobby knife and cut out small holes in the black sealer

[Kurt]

Clean out the hole and add a touch of black paint to cover the wood that you exposed.

[Kurt]

Use the weeds of your choice to add a nice touch to diorama.

[Kurt]

That's pretty much it. I am sure there are questions about things that I didn't cover real well. Let me know what they are and I will try to answer them. It may look more difficult then it really is. After a couple, there isn't much to it. And you can always add as much detail as you feel comfortable with. Thank you for your time.

[Kurt]

To answer a coupl of questions.

wm cheng - I have not done in flight stands... yet. I have a few ideas but have not had the opportunity.

Grayson72 - I am lucky to have some local hobby shops that stock Verlinden products. There are also a number of on-line hobby shops that sell it. Great Models I believe is one.

[Grayson72]

Really great step-by-step, landscaping is something I knew nothing about but after this I think I'd feel comfortable taking this one, thanks a bunch.

Yeah great models is really good, they just restocked their verlinden products, I ordered a few.

[Myersjessee]

Wow...this is great! Thanks for sharing!

[Commander McBride]

Pretty good tutorial, although it was mostly stuff I know from model railroading. I wasn't expecting that tarmac to ba a bought product, I think your mods to it, like the cracks with weeds, made it look so great. I may do a little work on something like this, but I'll actually do a plaster runway, and put the aircraft in a takeoff pose, something I've been wanting to do.

[vf1_soulja]

thanks for sharing Kurt. I'll have to take a stab at making display bases for my valks on display.

[Sebastian]

THANKS KURT!!

You made me a big favor, while i know about models I know nothing about display stands. For sure I will start working on them now.

[Less than Super Ostrich]

Thanks Kurt... I really appreciate the display walkthrough!

[wm cheng]

Wow, great work Kurt, I love those little weeds growing out of the tarmac!! Great product, I did a little search for them, and they have a carrier pattern, I'd love to set one of those underneath a Valk!!

Thanks again for sharing great work!!

[Grayson72]

Hey Kurt, congrats on the sale of your model! You always get a premium price for your items and it's well deserved. You can't be making that much on those though with all the work these Hase's take plus the cost of the kit.

[Kurt]

Grayson72 - Thank you for your comment on the sale of the model. I was a bit dissappointed in how much it went for, but that is the chance I take. I really do it mostly to get people interested in my work. And that could generate business away from Ebay. So I go into these auctions with little hope of actually making a profit. I hope to post more "how to" information here in the future. The only downside to that is I don't just focus on Macross subjects, and I am sure readers here just want Macross.